DeJltr. fp $ | had no ne«d I® tafcrtfee trouble p f cawing green.
The Water o f Sedger river is gxcelle«, but the-boats cannot
get in till about two hours flood, becaufe at low water it is
very fhallow for about three quarters o f a mile. I went up
it about four miles in my boat, and the fallen trees then
rendered it impoflible to go farther: I found it, indeed, not
only difficult but dangerous to get up thus far. The ftream
is very rapid, and many flumps o f trees lie hidden under
i t : one o f thefe made its way through the bottom o f
my boat, and in an inftant fhe was full o f water. We got
on fliore as well as we could; and afterwards, with great
difficulty, hauled her up upon the fide pf the river: here
we contrived to flop the hole in her bottom, fo as that we
made a Ihift to get her down to the river’s mouth, where fhe
was foon properly repaired by the carpenter. On each fide
•of this river there are'the fineft trees I ever fa w, and I make
no doubt but that they would fupp'ly the Britifli navy with
the beft mails in the world. Some o f them are o f a great
height, and more than eight feet in diameter, which i§ prp-
poitionably more than eight yards in circumference; fo
that four men, joining hand in hand, coujd not compafs
them: among others, we found the pepper tree, or winter’s
bark, in great plenty. Among thefe woods, nptwirhftandin’g
the Coldnefs o f the climate, there are innumerable parrots
and other birds o f the njoft beautiful plumage. I {hot every
•day geefe and ducks enough to ferve my own table and federal
others, and every body on board might have done the
fame.- we had indeed great plenty o f fre'ffi provifions o f all
kinds; for we caught as much fifli every day as ferved the
companies of both fbips. As I was much on fliore here, I
tracked many wikf beads in the Land; but never faw’one;
we- alfo-found-many huts or wigwams, but never met with'
an Indian. The country between this Port and Cape For-'
ward,
ward, which is diftant about four leagues’, fe extremely fine; 1764.
the foil appears to be very good, and there are no lefs than .Pecenlb£r'-
three pretty large rivers,' béfidèé feveral brooks. Thurfday zT.
While wé lay here, I went one day to Cape Forward, and
when I fet out I intended to have gone farther; but the weather
became fo bad, with heavy rain, that we weré glad to
flop there, and make a great fire to dry our clothes', which
were wet through. From the place where we flopped, thé
Indians had' been gone fo- lately, that thé wood', which lay
half burnt, where they“ had fhade their fire, was fiili warm;
and foon after our fire was kindled, we perceived that
another was- kindled- diredlly oppofite to- it, On the Terra
del FuegO fliore ;- probably as a fignal, which, i f wé had-
been Indians, we Ihould havé underilood. After we were'
dried and refreflkd at Our fire, the rain having abated, I-
walked crofff the Cape,, to* fee how the Streight raw,- which
I found- to be about W.- M W. The hiHS; as far as’ I
could: fee, were o f an immenfé height, very craggy; and-
covered with fnowr quite from the fummit to the bafe. I
made alfo another exturfion along the fliore to the northward,:
and found the country for many miles exceedingly
pleafant, the ground being, in many places, covered with
flowers-, which were-not inferior to thofe that: are commonly
found in our gardens, either in beauty or fragrance ;■ and if
it were not for the feverity of the cold in winter, this country
might, in my opinion, be made, by cultivation-, one of
the fineft in the world. I had fet up a fmall tent at the bottom
o f this bay, clofe to a little: rivulet, and juft at thelkirts
o f a Wood, foon after the fliip came to an anchor, where
three men Were employed in wafliing: they flept on fliore;;
but foon after funfet were awakened'out'of their firft fleep
by the roaring o f fome wild beads, which the darkiiefs of.
the night, and the folitarinefs o f their fituation in this pathlefe